Automobile door latch



5 Sheets-Sheat 1 .Inrenfaw fpmwzflfluL E. D. 'DALL AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH April 28, 1953 Flled May 26 1949 April 28, 1953 E. D. DALL 296 36 AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH Filed May 26, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 kZ/%4 MM E. D. DALL AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH April 28, 1953 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 26, 1949 IYREZYTUT" [pk/Mo @111 $1,; /m w 5 April 28, 1953 q, D 2,636,765

AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH Filed May 26, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ina rs .27 Tar r a 5 D L m Mp 3 HQ 6 w 70 2 m nm w I J/H m Mm P. am

April 28, 1953 Filed May 26 1949 Patented Apr. 28, 1953 AUTOMOBILE DOOR LATCH Edward D. Dali, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Houdaille-Hershey Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application May 26, 1949, Serial No. 95,472

This invention relates to a, latch mechanism for automobile doors and to certain improvements therein providing a latch having a rotary bolt constructed to hold a door very securely in latched position yet capable of being released with little effort even though the door be very tightly latched.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide in a latch mechanism an improved outside latch release mechanism which can be randered ineffective to release the latch bolt even though the outside release mechanism is conditioned to appear to operate freely in its normal manner.

Another object is to provide a latch release mechanism rendered effective or ineffective in its mechanical action by controllable positioning of a locking mechanism.

A further object is to provide a latching and locking mechanism comprising a small number of metal stampings readily assembled into a durable economical device.

Other objects will become apparent upon perusal of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the latch mechanism showing it in the normal inoperative position which it occupies when the door is open.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the latch mechanism in the position it occupies when the door is latched but not locked.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the latch mechanism at the instant it is released by an inward thrust on the outside latch control.

Figure 4 is a side elevation showing the latch mechanism in a partly latched or safety latch position.

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the locking mechanism in a locking position to Which it can be set while the door is open so that upon slamming of the door the door will then be locked against release from the outside.

Figure 6 is an end elevation showing the latch mechanism in the position which is illustrated in Figure l, but with the key-controlled lock portions removed for the sake of clarity.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic illustration or phantom view, showing the rotary bolt and its associated ratchet and pawl mechanism in the position which they occupy as the rotarybolt is approaching the keeper in a door closing operation.

Figure 8 is another diagrammatic illustration showing the same parts in the position which they occupy after the rotary bolt has engaged keeper and attained a latched position.

Figure 9 is another diagrammatic illustration of these same parts as shown in the safety position illustrated in Figure 4.

E Figure 10 is a plan view of a portion of the inside latch releasing mechanism.

5 Claims. (Cl. 292-216) Figure 11 is a sectional view of the latch mechanism on the line XI-XI of Figure 5.

Figure 12 is a side elevation viewing the latch mechanism from the outside of the latch casing.

Figure 13 is a side elevation of the slidable dogging plate.

Figure 14 is an end elevation of the part shown in Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a bottom plan view of the part shown in Figure 13. I

Figure 16 is an end elevation of the key-controlled locking mechanism; and

Figure 17 is a side elevation of the keeper.

Referring further to the drawings, the latch mechanism comprising this invention includes a latch casing formed from a single sheet of metal bent to provide an edge plate I I for mounting at and parallel to the edge of a door, and a side plate I2, integral with the plate II to be mounted in the door more or less parallel to the inside wall thereof.

Supported on the outside face of the edge plate II I is a rotary bolt housing I3, which partly houses a rotary bolt pivoted on the pin I4. The rotary bolt includes a striker arm [5 and a latching arm I6. The pin I4 is non-rotatably supported on the edge plate II and upon the outer vertical wall I! of the bolt housing I3, the housing being rigidly secured to plate II in any suitable manner. The latching arm I6 carries a pin l8 fixed therein which extends through an arcuate slot I9 and pivotally carries on its inner end a pawl arm 20, the latter coacting with a ratchet arm 2| which will be more fully described later.

The bolt has a recess 22 through which extends the pin I 4 and wrapped around that pin is a spring 23 one end 24 of which presses against the bolt, as shown in Figure 12 while the other end 25 presses against the inside of the bolt housing. This spring, therefore, tends to restore the bolt to unlatched position and yieldingly hold it there.

Rigidly mounted above the bolt and welded or riveted to the outer face of the plate I I is a lug 26 whose bottom surface 21 will ride upon the top surface 28 of the keeper lug 29, when the door is closed. The keeper includes a securing plate 30 for attachment to the door post, a striker surface 3I and a holding surface 32.

Figure 1 shows the latchin the position it occupies when the door is open. At such a time the movable end 33-3 of the ratchet arm 2| rests upon the bottom flange 34 of a reciprocable dogging plate generally indicated as 35, the upper i flange 36 of which together with lower flange 3t extend through and are guided by an appropriate slot 3? embracing them cut in the casing plate I2. The other end portion of the dogging plate is guided by slot 38 upon post 39 which is fixed on casing plate II and which post also furnishes pivotal support for one end of the ratchet levertl.

Whenhthedoorisopen; the laterally/projecting head 49 at the top of pawl 26 is inoperative, as

shown in Figure 1, being held there by reason.

of the retracted position of the rotary bolt, and. spring M, the latter having one endli'anchorediin's a crimped kerf 62 cut in theendoi, pin l8 and.

its other end hooked overjthe-earm .43.;integral;

The spring causes the area to M of with pawl 29. thrust against the enlarged inner end the pin I l.

As the door is being closed the latching arm [5 of the rotary bolt contacts striker surface 3! oithe keeper and further closin movement will rotate" latching arm: 5 (ii. to" aposition' where surface 32 of-thelreeper would'he" ensafifidtherebr on opening-pressure of 'the door: lr leanwhile; pin lfi'jancl' spring!!! will'cause the headof-thepawl toride" up onto andalong' the serrations i l' on the ratchet. When the closing movement ceases spring l'i causes thepawlto' bite down omthe ratchet, and unlatching movementof the bolt is prevented as long as the dogging plate supports the movable. end ofthe ratchet.

For releasing the bolt to permit its unlatching rotation is ,an outside irelease lever; generallyjndicated as '45, pivotally connected "to' the dogging plate: by-a rivet Gt. andfhaving an elongatedslot tlriding on ppstti. A. springiiliis .coiiedahout post 39" (see Figure 6') and, its upper, end. presses againstla flange, so struck out from the release lever. An enlargedfiange tilaterally extending. from the lever afiords a suriaceagainst which may operate a push button. (not shown)v mounted in. or operated by an outside door handle (also notshown, as such mechanisms are. already wellllz'nown in the art) The lower end 520i the spring til'hooks over adaterally extends ing inclined.integralwith the dogging. plate. Thus, thespring serves, to urge, the. dogging, plate: toward the outer. surface ofLthe; doorvv andj'the ctopmf, the release. leverina l-counltQI'r-CIOBk-XVi-Sfi direction... The outsidepushibut ton-or handle will, ofcourse, prevent undue clockwise. rotationoi the, flange, as such mechanism sh'ouldlcontactthat ilange,to prevent; rattling. of. the. outside push button .or. handle.

A locking lever when in unlockedlposition as shown in Figure 1, provides a notch fihfjengaged by a .lat'eraljfiange-fifi; formed? on theb'ottom .end.

of, lever 55,, thisnotch. when v.se. located; being a.

stationary pivot. pointfor. lever 451 Hence, an inward thrustonflange .51 will-"rock. thelever about that pivot. and lthe,fioating...pivot piniltiwillcauselthe,dogsinglever to slide ine wardly as far as permitted by slotv3l3., ,if it he; the purpose. to unlatch the door. This movement will cause flange a l to .move outirom. underrend. tarot the. ratchet, permitting the, spring M- to pulltheiratchetdown and beireedirom thepawl: as .the, pawl ,arm; drops down onto ,thepi-n head: it. The door may then-be tree-1v unlatched, and if the outside handlebenot too promptlyreleased the. condition shownin Figure 1- will againbe attained;

I-Iowever,.should the outside handle; or push" button; be releasedbefore-v the pawl has; been retracted to they position shownin Figures; 4: and 9, the flange M will be blocking the final-rise:- of. the ratchet endwand the bolt will still remainengaged with the lower portion a of" the latching" surface-t2 (see Figure-1,9); and the door will he held, in a.saf.etvposition, and cannot-further. open unless .the; dogging; plate be again meved 4 fully to the right. During the final restoring movement or. the, pawh, if, the. dogging; plate is manually held fully tozthe?rightmashort pin 51, protruding laterally from the pawl, will move right along the cam surface 58 of the ratchet and lift the free end of the ratchet to its normal positiondlligure 1 or Figure 7) when it can again besupportedhyflange 34 when the dogging plate goes back.to. .normal when the outside handle or push button is released.

The locking lever M is pivoted on post 59 supported on: casing plate H. A push rod 60 is pivotally, connected to flange 6! of the locking lever and" extends, preferably, through the selvage of the window of-thedoor on which itis mounted," and is providecl'w-iththe" customary button" 62 A' downward thrust-"on-this 'rod rocks lever' Mto the position shown in Figure 5; after which an inward thrust on release L lever r flange 5'! .vi-ll merelyrock that leveraboutpiVotrtand no motionwill hetransmitted to the dogging plate. Thus the door may belocltedfromthe inside of' the car against, release, hy the outside handle; The-over-center springtt connectedito the lei/exits and easing" plate" 5i helps 'to: retain the lever; in either 'locked or unlocked position:

The locking lever 5 is; however; readily con'a trolledhy alrey; Akevl'ock plate 64" (Figure'ld) has two spaced fingers fiand t5.which;altvays stra .le the-end"G-V of theelocking; lever: This plateyto and is rotatable byshaft" 613' of' an ordinary cylinder lock" 89 mountable in the outside surface or the door: some distame below 'theihandle.

It' will; be. apparent? that" the locking, lever E13 may-be movedto or from'lockin position either by the key rotatable shaftf,or by the push rod 56.

The inside latch release mechanism includes a bell crank it! supported on atverticahpivotipin l I hetween'upper and'lower ears l2"andll'tistruck out'from'casing plate 52. One end ,l' ioffthe bell? crank engages a flange llitstruck out:.from.,the body of ithewclogg ng plate 35, whileltlie ,othenend 'ifiis hookedinto aslotj'inear the. endlofia re=-- ciproeating link lafwhichdsslidably supported on posti 'l9;' held'by. an anti rattling springfit, and connected, to an inside. door, handle, (noti shownll. Thespringloacling ofithe doorliandle, as, is customary, will maintain, the endJHl-Lin. .0011:

t'act'with flange 15;" Thus the link lifmaybe,

used ,to, rotate, bell. crank 3! Band. operate thedogging vv plate to release. the-rotary boltv pawl '1 and... ratchet.

Turningnow to, Figured, whichshows-the, lockinaleverjn lockedposition, if the..deor;bez= slammed shut this ,loc-lred F condition will. HOD-be disturbed. Thereafter, ifthe 11151016761001.- handle: be operated to release. and open the door, thee-reeleasing movement oi. the :slidable, dog; will cause,- its flange, 5.3.tdwipe over,the;;cam surfacerill on the top edge of the locking-:lever 543-:and-restore; that lever, to, unlocked position, ,whiclr isa de-- sirablefunction.

It should be. observed $171131): it a dOOl-z'EQlijffJ-ZQGCI; with this latch be tightly closed against rubber. bumpers. and weather stripping, the reaction pressure of l the: pawl on theeratchet may be-;-very,-- reat, which is, at; course; wholly-r desirable; However, the:.-more tig closer. does the pawL head, move towardi the pivotal support of; the ratchetland: E116fl2zfllh3l from the dogging; flange; whicl'r:- supportss the: free or. movable end ofrthezratchet. Tosrelease 75 the ratchet lever; it-requiresaonlyraaslidingimcvm= tly thesdoorsis closed;-. tha;

ment of the doggin plate which is slidably supported between ample flanges 82 and 83 struck out from plate l2. If desired, lubricant may be applied to these flanges and to the inside surface of the flange 3?- of the dogging plate. Hence, the amount of force required to move the dogging plate to releasing position will never become objectionable.

When the latch is in locked condition, force applied to the outside release mechanism cannot damage the latch as the outside release lever moves freely, but ineffectively.

While a preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described in detail, it should be understood clearly that variations and modifications of the invention may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A latch mechanism comprising a latch casing, a rotary bolt mounted on said casing, a ratchet lever pivoted on said casing adjacent one of its ends, a dogging member slidably supported on said casing and having a flange portion having supporting engagement with the free end of said ratchet lever, a pawl pivotally carried. by said rotary bolt and extending therefrom into position to engage said ratchet and hold the bolt against unlatching movement, and means for releasing said dogging member from said ratchet comprisin an outside latch releasing operator pivotally mounted on said dog, a pivoted locking lever, said dog having a depending end portion extending into position to be engaged by said locking lever, and said locking lever having means thereon engaging said depending end portion of said dog and forming a fulcrum for said outside latch releasing operator when in engagement therewith, and means moving said locking lever out of position to engage said depending end of said releasin operator, to render said operator ineffective to release the latch.

2. A door latch mechanism comprising a latch casing and a rotary bolt pivotally mounted thereon, a ratchet member pivotally mounted on said casing adjacent one of its ends, a slidable dogging member engageable with the free end of said ratchet member to hold said ratchet member stationary, a pawl pivotally carried by the bolt for bodily movement therewith, a spring efiective for urging said pawl into bolt-holding engagement with the ratchet member, a rockable locking member, an outside latch operator pivotally mounted on said dogging lever and rockable for moving the same out of engagement with said ratchet, said latch operator being pivotally connected to said dogging member intermediate its ends and having a free end portion extending from the pivot thereof, and said lock control member having engagement with the free end portion of said latch operator and forming a fulcrum therefor, and means for moving said lock control member out of engagement with said free end of said outside latch operator and rendering said latch operator inefiective to operate said dogging lever.

3. In a door latch mechanism, a latch casing, a rotary bolt pivotally mounted thereon, a ratchet member pivotally mounted on said casing adjacent one of its ends, a pawl pivotally carried by said bolt for bodily movement therewith, a sprin engaging said pawl and efiective for urging said pawl into engagement with said ratchet member, a dogging member slidably mounted on said casing and having supporting engagement with the free end of said ratchet, to hold said ratchet stationary, and releasable therefrom to release said ratchet and unlatch the door, a shiftable locking lever pivoted on said casing, an outside latch operator connected with said dogging member and having a free end portion having interengagement with said latch operator and pivoting thereabout, to shift said dogging lever to release said ratchet, and a pivoted member having operative engagement with said locking lever, for moving the same out of engagement with said operator.

4. In a door latch mechanism, a latch casing plate and a rotary bolt pivotally mounted on said plate for positioning the edge of a door, a ratchet member pivotally mounted on said casing I plate, a pawl pivotally carried by the bolt for bodily movement therewith, spring means for urging said pawl to engage said ratchet, a dogging member slidably -mounted on said casing plate and having engagement with said ratchet member to hold the same stationary, but shiftable to a position to free said ratchet member to pivot away from said pawl, a shiftable locking lever supported on said casing plate and having a recess therein, and an outside operator rockably supported on said doggin member and extending in overlying relation with respect to said locking lever and having an end portion having engagement with and fulcruming about said recess, to release the latch when said locking lever is in one position, and means shifting said locking lever and the recess thereof out of engagement with said operator, to lock the door.

5. A latch mechanism comprising a latch casing, a rotary bolt pivotally mounted thereon, a ratchet member pivotally mounted on said casing, a pawl pivotally carried by said rotary bolt and having an engaging end portion engageable with said ratchet member for holding said bolt against unlatching movement, a dog slidably supported on said casing and having means thereon engaging the movable end of said ratchet to hold said ratchet from pivotal movement, and reciprocable to free said ratchet, an outside latch release operator pivoted on said dog, a manually shiftable locking lever shiftably mounted on said latch casing and having a recess therein, said outside operator having an engaging end portion engageable with said recess and fulcruming thereabout to move said dog to released position when said locking lever is in one position, and means to shift said locking lever into another position to disengage said recess from said engaging end portion of said outside operator, to render said operator ineifective to release the latch.

EDWARD D. DALL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 296,188 Ladd Apr. 1, 1884 313,503 Ladd Mar, 10, 1885 1,909,210 Miller May 16, 1933 r 1,970,807 Lovell Aug. 21, 1934 2,094,413 Schonitzer Sept. 28, 1937 2,231,075 Lakin Feb. 11, 1941 2,234,810 Simpson Mar. 11, 21941 

